Tuesday, April 12, 2016

These early predecessors of the modern roller skate have two large, spoked wheels with rubber tires. They were sold in London by the Road Skate Co of Oxford Street after their invention in 1897, and were advertised as being 'ankle-friendly' due to a hinged splint on either side of the boot. They weighed more than 40 lbs each.The skates caused a craze in the 1920s and in London businessmen commuted to work in them.